Homeschooling on the rise in North Carolina

Some students will skip heading to a school building this year and instead stay home. For the first time, more children are being home-schooled in North Carolina than in private schools.

New figures from the state show there were more than 98,000 homeschoolers last years, which is a 27 percent increase from two years ago.

One local family in Wilmington said they see those numbers directly affecting Wilmington.

"We are seeing a lot of people homeschooling their children, but also pulling them out of school because they are concerned about the environment they are in," Beth Wegert said.

Beth explained she likes to be able to customize her lessons based on the interest of her children.

"We find when children are learning things that they love and they are excited about, they remember those things and they become enrooted in who they are," Beth described.

While other families are spending thousands of dollars on tuition, Wegert said she only spend $300 a year on curriculum books. She keeps her cost low by utilizing local museums, the public library, and everyday life as learning opportunities.

"We can learn when we are at the grocery store, we can learn at the museum, we can take trips as a family," Beth said. "So we are developing two things at the same time. We are developing a love for family, but we are allowed to give them a wonderful education, one that is routed in learning, and not just memorizing and developing in a certain way that's been allotted for them."

To become a homeschooling parent you must adhere to the list below:

Have a high school diploma or equivalent

Tell the state division of Non-Public Education you are starting a school

Youngstown State University student Albert Maruna was caught red-handed and arrested this week after he allegedly attempted to have sex with a 15-year-old boy, who turned out to be an undercover officer.

Youngstown State University student Albert Maruna was caught red-handed and arrested this week after he allegedly attempted to have sex with a 15-year-old boy, who turned out to be an undercover officer.